Fallen Hero
by iHaveFishiesSwimmingInMyBelly
Summary: Link, after returning to Ordon, fell into a depression that took over him completely. Nobody needed him anymore. He was a murderer. CONTAINS: Suicide and self harm (cutting).
1. Chapter 1

**I've been working on this story for about a week now. This is my first Legend of Zelda story so forgive me if any of the characters seem OOC. Enjoy and review, please!**

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Link stared aimlessly out of his window in his treehouse. He couldn't help but let a few tears escape from his deep, blue eyes. His yard was empty.

Malo, Talo and Beth no longer hung around outside his house anymore. He missed their laughter, joy and company.

He also missed the village people. The same people that took care of him when his parents died years ago barely took notice of him anymore. Fado did not need his help at the ranch anymore. When Link was gone saving Hyrule, Fado learned to herd the goats by himself. He did not need Link to do it for him any longer. That made Link feel rejected and depressed.

Link felt almost like he deserved to be ignored by the village. He became a monster and a murderer. No one deserved to witness that.

Link cried himself to sleep every night now. He also started to cut his wrists with quick swipes of a small knife to help deal with the feeling of loneliness, rejection and sadness take over him. It made him feel better—but only temporarily until he needed to repeat his actions.

He remembered the good times he had in his hometown. Fado would wake him up at odd hours to herd goats. The children would ask him to play with them. Colin would just stand by silently watching as he practiced his sword moves, admiring him for his bravery. And the village people would call on him to do silly odd jobs such as gathering escaped Cuccos.

But he was no longer the Link everyone needed. He was just simply Link, the kid who was a burden on the whole town when his parents died. Link, the foolish teenager.

Depression took over him and now proceeded to take over his mind. He was certain that the entire village wished he was dead. That he died with his parents or was slaughtered in Hyrule while on his journey. He was sure that they all were irritated that he remained alive after saving their world. Link was a wasted space and he knew it.

Link glanced down at his sword that laid in front of him.

"One stab is all it takes," Link thought sadly. "And everyone in Ordon would get their wish for me to be dead."

He touched the cold metal. It had killed many. Link felt like a murderer. A murderer did not deserve to live.

Link took the sword and walked outside. He put his sword away and climbed down the ladder. Once on the ground, he walked over to Epona. She was happy to see her master. She nudged Link, telling him to pet her. Link obeyed.

"I'm sorry, girl," Link muttered into her ear. "But I can no longer be your master. I will not be alive."

Link put his suicide note on her saddle. He walked away and stood in front of his tree house. He could hear the shouts and laughter of the kids. His heart ached.

He unsheathed his sword. Tears rolled down the young hero's cheeks. Nobody needed him anymore. All it took was a few long months of agony to prove that Ordon could get along fine without Link.

He raised his sword. The sunlight hit the metal.

"I'm doing Hyrule a favor by doing this." Link said with tears running down his face.

He plunged it deep into his chest.

The sharp sword ripped and knifed its way into his body.

Link pulled it out.

Blood dripped off of it.

Poor Epona didn't know what was going on. Her master bled as she watched.

Link collapsed to the ground and laid face down as a pool of thick, crimson liquid surrounded him. His blood.

He stopped breathing.

He laid there dead.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Legend of Zelda.**

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"Have you seen Link at all today?" Rusl asked his wife, Uli.

"No. I haven't seen him for a couple days. I'm beginning to worry about him. Ever since he's returned, his behavior has been a little strange," Uli told her husband.

Uli was worried in fact, most of Ordon was. They noticed he wasn't around very much anymore. They didn't do anything because they weren't sure what to do and hoped that it would pass over and everything would return to normal.

Ilia was also curious to know what happened to Link on his adventures. Perhaps something happened that he could get over yet and that was the reason why he wasn't around? Link was her childhood friend and she worried for him…

"I should go to his house and talk to him," Rusl said. "Maybe he'll open up."

"That is a good idea. Tell him that we all worry for him." Uli said.

Rusl left his wife and started walking towards Link's house. As he walked, he thought about what could be wrong.

Rusl came to Link's house. He stopped dead in his steps.

Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw next...

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**Cliffhanger! (Although, it's probably not very good, huh?) Please leave a review or PM me and tell me what you think of this story so far and maybe give me some constructive criticism! Thank you!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I finally managed to get to a computer to upload this chapter. This is still my first LoZ story so I would greatly appreciate some constructive criticism so I can improve. Feel free to PM me or leave a review! Thanks!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Legend of Zelda.**

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When everybody in Ordon woke up that day, they thought it would be normal. Everyone would go about their daily routine and activities. The kids would play together outside. Goats would be herded and so on.

They couldn't have been more wrong.

They knew immediately something was wrong when Rusl came into the village in a panic. Everyone came to him asking what was wrong.

With his voice breaking and shaking, Rusl managed to say it.

"Link is dead."

For a moment, everything was quiet. Nobody spoke. And then,

"How do you know?"

"What happened?"

"Where is he?"

Tears were shedding by now. Rusl said nothing, but held out a note.

"This was on Epona's saddle. It may be a suicide note."

Suicide! How could they have been so blind? Link needed help, but it was too late...

Ilia couldn't cry. She felt as if her whole body was frozen. Her blood ran cold. Link wasn't dead. It was just a horrible dream and she'd wake up.

It wasn't a dream, but a nightmare almost. A nightmare come true.

Ilia refused to believe that.

"Link is still alive," she thought. "I'll go to his house right now and he'll answer the door. He's alive and I know it."

Ilia found her body again and ran past everyone.

"Ilia, wait!" Mayor Bo called after his daughter.

Ilia refused to listen. She kept running until she came to Link's house. She couldn't believe what she saw. Link laying in a pool of blood. His blood.

"No," Ilia thought. "No, no, no, no, no! It's not true!"

Ilia's vision became blurry. She touched her face and tears came rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, honey," Bo touched his daughter's shoulder. He led her away from the scene.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Link's body was taken to Castle town where his funeral would take place.

Word had gotten around quickly of the young hero's death. It was Princess Zelda's idea that his funeral should be taken in Castle Town. She and everyone who resided in Castle Town would attend Link's funeral. Even the residents of Kakariko would attend, as they too heard of his death.

On the day of his funeral, the skies were grey and gloomy. Sadness filled the air. Once everyone in Ordon was ready, they set off to Castle Town. Nobody spoke.

Link's note was going to be read at the funeral. It was not yet decided who would read it.

Link's body was examined and everyone was told there was a stab wound by his heart. Also, slashes were found on his wrists. Self mutilation...

Once in Castle Town, it was quiet. Link's body laid in a casket in front of the steps leading to the Hyrule Castle. The entire town was standing together. Everyone had heard of Link, the hero who saved Hyrule. He was no stranger. Zelda stood by his casket. Tears of agony filled her eyes. She loved Link and admired him for his bravery. Many people felt the same way about Link.

Soldiers stood in grace and respectfulness by his casket. He had more bravery and courage than all the soldiers in Hyrule.

Telma and Ilia were reunited. However, Ilia did not remember Telma due to her memory loss. Telma explained to her who she was and how she cared for her when a fellow citizen of Castle Town found her kneeling beside the collapsed Zora boy. She told Ilia what she thought of Link and that she was deeply sorry for her loss.

During the funeral, everyone went up by Link's casket to say a few words of respect and a last goodbye.

Colin, the shyest boy of Ordon, went up to Link's casket. He said he admired Link for his bravery. He wanted to be just like him when he grew up. Colin's eyes filled with tears as he suddenly remembered Link's promise to him before he left Ordon. Link had promised him to teach Colin to ride a horse. Now that promise was broken. Colin said goodbye to his idol, then quickly walked back to his parents and sister.

When Ilia went up, her voice was breaking. She said that she loved Link and wished he was still alive so she could tell him. She said he had so much bravery. She said she was very grateful that Link cared so much for her and helped bring her memory back.

Inside Link's casket, she placed her favorite picture of her and Link together. It was when they were both young—about 5 years old.

"Goodbye, Link." she whispered.

She fled to her father where she started to cry silently.

When Zelda's time came to speak, everyone listened. It was not often they saw her.

"Link was a hero," Zelda said, forcing her voice to be calm. "Not just any hero, he had more courage and bravery than anyone I've come across. If more of the soldiers were like him then Hyrule would definitely be a better place."

Zelda spoke a few more words of Link and then said her goodbye to her love.

Once everyone had said their goodbyes, it came time to read Link's suicide note. It was decided that Zelda would read it.

Zelda stepped and faced the large crowd. She unfolded it and began to read.

What Link wrote shocked everyone.

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I will try to update quickly. I promise. Remember, feel free to PM me or leave a review telling me what you thought and maybe give me some constructive criticism. Thanks again!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry this took so long! I've been busy for the past two weeks and I wasn't able to get much writing done!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Legend of Zelda.**

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_'If you are reading this then you have most likely found my body. You should all be happy. I'm dead now. You all got your wish. I was a burden on all of you and I'm sorry. I should've let myself get killed while I was in Hyrule. I should have died along with my parents or something._

_I'm gone now so Ordon and the rest of Hyrule won't have to live with a murderer. I've killed so many that I don't deserve life any longer._

_And nobody needed me anymore. Fado didn't need me to herd goats anymore. The kids didn't hang around in my yard anymore. They never even ask me to play with them like they used to before I left._

_I do not care what happens to my belongings, but I do want Epona to be shared by Colin and Ilia. Colin, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to teach you to ride._

_Nobody cared for me. I wasn't Link the hero. I was Link, the foolish teenager who set off to save Hyrule. I was a monster—far away from being a hero._

_I was tired of slashing my wrists and crying and the feelings of sadness, loneliness, pain, and everything. I have nothing more to say so I guess I'll end it here. I'm free now. Don't keep me in your thoughts. Forget about me. I'm not coming back._

_Link."_

And that was the end. Soft sobs filled the air by the massive crowd. Some people had run off in agony. Probably to hide somewhere to cry harder. At least that's what Ilia did. Tears filled her emerald eyes once the first sentence was read. The lump in her throat dissolved and she burst into tears. Once the note ending, Ilia ran off to one of the horses That carried Ordon here.

Ilia detached the wagon from the horse quickly before her father, whom was yelling her name, came outside and found her.

She mounted the horse and prayed to the goddesses that she learned enough about riding from watching Link countless times at the ranch. Link...

She got the horse into a trot and followed the path back to Ordon.

The trip was shorter than she had imagined. Once she was in front of Link's house, she dismounted. She felt angry, sad, confused and betrayed all at the same time. Ilia blinked back hot, mad tears then proceeded to climb the ladder that led to his door. Link's door was locked.

"Shit!" she cried as she tried to kick it open.

Finally, Ilia managed to break in by throwing her body against it. After several attempts, the door flew open.

Ilia walked in and looked around at the small house.

"Why?!" Ilia screamed. "Why did you kill yourself?!"

Ilia noticed a set of clothes neatly folded on a table. She grabbed them and put them up to her face. She inhaled and took in the fresh, clean scent. It smelled like him. She cried. She couldn't help but feel guilty. She felt as it was her fault Link had killed himself.

"Link, is it my fault you killed yourself?" Ilia mumbled.

She was calm now, but delirious. Ilia could vaguely hear her name being called from outside the tree house. She set the clothes on the table, took a deep breath and walked outside. She saw her father and stared at him for a moment. Her green eyes were filling with tears. Ilia hurried down the ladder and ran to her dad, embracing him. She burst into tears.

"He's gone, isn't he Daddy?" Ilia asked, her voice shaking.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. He's still in our memories, though and we must not forget that, Ilia," her dad said, hugging his daughter.

A rumble of thunder broke the heavy, agonized silence. The rest of Ordon was returning and Mayor Bo and Ilia returned home before the downpour of rain started.

As Ilia sat on her bed, listening to the rain pound against her window, she knew Link was dead. She accepted that.

Link was a hero but he had problems, there was no denying that. But at least he was now in a good place.

For eternity.

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**The story doesn't end there! I still have one more chapter to post and that will be it. :)**


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